Index.



j. H. HAND.

INDEX.

' APPLic/TION FILED APR.18.1918.

fl Patented Deo. 3, 1918.

'BU/PNS,

innen.

1;28i3nl05. Specificaties; or" Letters Patent.

Application flied April 13,

ITo all will/bm it may concern.' l

' e it known that l, JAMES H. RAND, a citizen of the United States of America., and resident of North Tonawanda, in the lcounty of Niagara and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Indexes, oivhich the following is a specification. i

This invention relates to indexes or" the overlapping card, visible index type, so called, in which the cards or sheets are supn ported in a frame in overlapped relation Wih their margins exposed 'to vie-'W for indexing purposes.

In nidexes or" this kind where the cards or index members have been attached to bars or rails mounted in a'frame, the bars or rails have heretofore served as the spacing means well as the supports for the'cards. This required bars of special construction and oi' proponi transverse dimensions to insure the proper spacing of the cards. ln the present device the spacing means are parts of the index elements themselves, and the means for holding the index elements in the frame may be simply small rods or lengths of Wire since they have no spacing function to perform, This results in simplicity and cheapness of construction and at the same time arfords an `exceptionally effective index device.

ln the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention,-

Figure l is a front view of part of an index containing the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof;

F ig. 3 is a pers )ective view of one or" the index elements;

Fig. 4 is a' section and Fig. 5 is a vertical index elements.

The frame or panel l may be made as usual of sheet metal With inwardly turned vflanges 2, 2, forming opposed channels, in which are inserted the ends of resilient Wire rods 3, by which the index elements are held in the frame. The channels of the frames are shallow from front t0 back and hold the rods 3 quite snugly against the back oi the frame. to receive the ends of the Wire rods 3 with sutiicient freedom to permit the rodsto slide lengthwise of the frame When the sheet index elements extend between the rods and the back of the fra-me. Being resilient the,

on line 4-#1 of Fig. l;

section of one off the They need be ol only such depth as 1513. Serial No. 229,252?.

rods Will hold 'the indexr elements with a gentle but sufficiently firm pressure against the bari; of the frame.

Each index element of the series comprises a body 4- of sheet material, such as Asheet celluloid, having at tubular structure through which the Wire rod 3 extends. The roll is preferably oliset to the rear of the plane of the body 4, as shown, so that when the parts are assembled, with the several rolls engaging one another the bodies ot the cards er index elements may extend from the front sides of the rolls substantially latvvise of tie frame. The transverse dimensions of the rolls 5 greatly exceed the diameters of the rods 3, and the several rolls when mounted on the rods, and engaging one another, constitute spacers holding the overlapped index elements in spaced rela-tion with their tree margins ex- "posed or projecting* one beyond another. The rolls 5 are preferably substantially cylindrical in form and are adapted to hold the index elements in spaced relation in all positions thereofl as the index elements are swung forward :may from the frame. Similarly the rods will remain substantially stationary in their proper spaced positions as the index elements are swung on their hinges, since the rods are held by the narroiv channels close. to the back of the frame, and the rolls, when the index ele ments are swung away from the frame, will, slip between the rods and the freine. The rolls 5 being much larger than the rods, and

bearing one against another, will space the index elements with relation one to another quite independently of the small rods, and will perform this function in all positions.

The index element is preferably made integrally of a single sheet of Celluloid with the roll formed by bending over one man gin. The opposite or free margin may be folded to form a trough or pocket (i, to hold a card insert or other sheet 7 on which the desired records may be inscribed. The iusert may bear a naine or other identifying title on its exposed or projecting margin, in position to be visible through the transparent pocket 6. v

The body of the index element may be made of paper, cardboard, or other suitable material instead of sheet Celluloid, and the inscriptions could he placed directly on the body el instead of on an insert. Even if the body is not made of sheet Celluloid how one edge a roll 5, forming a treel)v both against ad] :spaced relation with their' Free margins ever, it is verbY desirable that the roll 5 should he ot sheet Celluloid or some equivalent material to insure a roll or tuloe ot sut'- tieient stiii'ness to hear the weight or pressure to which Spacers are subjected in such anv.index,land ot su'liieient smoothness and siiliieiently' frictionless Iproperties to slip 'acent rolls and hehind the rods.

claim:

l. An index comprising a i'raine having opposed channels, a series ot rods whose ends are inserted in said channels, and a series ot overlapped swinging inde-x elements on said rods eaeh having a roll at one edge through which one otl the rods extends, the several rolls engaging one an other and constituting spacers holding said index elements in spaced relation with their free margins projeeting one bevond another.

An index comprising a traine having opposed channels. a series of resilient wire rods whose ends are inserted in said channels, and a series ot overlapped swinging index elements on said rods each having a roll at one edge through which oneo'f the rods extends, the several rolls engaging one another and constituting spacers holding said index elements in spaced relation with their tree margins projecting one heyond another.

3. An index comprising a traine having opposed channels, a series of' rods whose ends are inserted in said channels, and a series ot overlapped swinging index elements of sheet material on said rods each having a roll integrally iioriiied at one edge through which one of the rods extends, the several rolls engaging one another and eonstitiiting spaeers holding said index elements in spaced relation with their tree margins projecting` one bevond another.

i. An index comprising a'ti'anie having opposed channels, a series or rods whose ends are inserted in said channels, and a series oit' overlapped swingingl index ele ments on lsaid rods each having a roll of sheet Celluloid at one edge through which one oi" the rods extends,the several rolls engaging one another and constituting spacers holding said index elementi, in

projecting one beyond another.

,5. itin index comprising a iraine having opposedl channels, a series ot rods whose ends an," ii'isei'ted in said channels, and a series ofoverlapping index elements ot sheet material on said rods, each having -a roll at one edge, otliset to the rear ot the plane ot the body of the index element, the rods extending through said rolls, and the several rolls engaging one another and constituting spacers holding said index elements in spaced relation with their, free margins projecting one beyond another.

G. An index comprising a traine having opposed channels, a series ot rods'whose ends are inserted in said channels, and a .series of overlapped swinging index elements on said rods each having a roll aty one edge through which one of the rods extends, the several rolls engaging one an'- otlier and constituting spacers adapted in all positions ot the swinging index elements tor hold said index elements and rods in spaced relation.

7. An index comprising a iranie having opposed channels, a series ot rods whose ends are inserted in said channels, and a series ot' overlapped swinging index elements on said rods each having a roll at one edge through which one ot the rodsl extends, the tansverse dimensions of the rolls greatly exceeding the transverse dimensions ot the rods, and the sere lal rolls engaging one another and spacing the index eleinentswith relation one to another independently of the rods.

8. An index comprising a traine having opposed channels, a series ot rods whose ends are inserted-in said channels, and a series of overlapped swinging inde-x elements on said rods each having a roll of substantially cylindrical 'torni at one edge through which one of the rods extends, the several rolls engaging one another and constituting spacers adapted in all positions of the siif'inging index elements to hold said index elements and rods in spaced relation. 9. An index comprising a trame having opposed channels, a series of resilient wire rods whose ends are inserted in said channels, and a series of overlapping sheet celluloid index elements on saidrods, leach formed with a roll at. one edge offset to the rear of the hotly of the index element.l the oils extending through said rolls, and the Transverse dimensions of the rolls greatly exceeding the diameters ot the wire rods, whereby the several rolls will space the index elements wit-li relation one to another in all positions thereof indeiieinientiioi the rods. l Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts,

lthis twelfth day of April, 1918.

JAMES H. RAND. 

